hhfandomcom-20200215-history
Werner Klemperer
Werner Klemperer (Cologne, Germany, March 22, 1920 — December 6, 2000 in New York City). He was an Emmy Award-winning comedic actor, who was best known as Colonel Wilhelm Klink on the Hogan's Heroes television sitcom. Biography Werner was born into a musical family. His mother, Johanna Geisler, was a soprano and his father was the famous conductor and composer, Otto Klemperer. His father's cousin, Victor Klemperer, was the author of a couple of published diaries which talked about life in Nazi Germany. Werner was a "Halbjude" (1/2 Jew), but raised a Catholic. While growing up, he took lessons in playing the piano, trumpet and violin, while his father, Otto, worked as a conductor at the Cologne Opera House, and later at the Kroll Opera House in Berlin during the 1920s until the Nazi takeover in 1933. After the closing of the Kroll and then the disappearance of a physician whose only crime was being Jewish, Otto took his family out of Germany, stopping first in Vienna, Austria and then in Los Angeles, California, arriving in the later city in 1935. Werner quickly adapted to life in the United States. He began acting in high school, soon enrolling at the Pasadena Playhouse. When the United States entered World War II, he joined the U.S. Army, soon stationed in Hawaii as a military policeman. While there, he joined the army's Special Services unit, spending the next two years entertaining the troops in the Pacific Theater. After the war, he returned to the United States, moving to New York City, where he worked as a radio and stage actor, a stage manager and when necessary, as an usher and waiting on tables. He debuted on Broadway in 1947, in the production, Heads or Tails. His big break came in 1954 with Dear Charles, where he played a tempermental Polish pianist wooing Tallulah Bankhead. When the tour arrived in Los Angeles, film and televison offers were waiting for him. Werner started out playing heavies and foreign characters, thanks to his looks (at 25, nature have already given him his more recognizable appearance) and his accent. This included playing Nazis, starting with his role as the monster, Adolf Eichmann, in Operation Eichmann. He also appeared in the films, Judgment at Nuremberg and Ship of Fools, and television shows, Man from U.N.C.L.E., Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, Perry Mason and Alfred Hitchcock Presents. But Werner's most famous claim to fame would be playing the witless Commandant of Stalag 13, Colonel Wilhelm Klink. Werner, when he auditioned for the role, was originally not informed that the show would be a comedy set in a POW camp. After learning the truth, he decided to accept the role, but on one condition: that Klink be portrayed as a fool and he never succeed in anything he attempts. Otherwise, he would leave the show. The show became a success, staying on the air for six seasons (1965 to 1971), and still being shown on televison today as reruns in syndication. Personally, Werner was nominated five times as Best Supporting Actor in a Comedy Series, winning two Emmys in 1968 and 1969. Klink is one of the most beloved characters in American television history. Werner would play Klink only once more after the end of the series, in a 1993 episode of The Simpsons as Homer Simpson's guardian angel/spirit guide. Although now identified as Colonel Klink, Werner refused to be pigeonholed as the character. After appearing in such films as The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz and Wake Me When The War Is Over, he returned to working on the stage. After his father death in 1973, Werner was confident enough to embark on a musical career, as an opera baritone and as a singer in musicals. He had appeared in die Fledermaus, The Merry Widow, Abduction from the Sergalio, The Sound of Music, Master Class and Cabaret, for which he had received a Tony Award nomination for his performance as the Jewish shopkeeper Herr Shultz. He has also acted as a narrator for several plays, including Peter and the Wolf, Egmont and Lelio, as well as having conducted orchestras on several occassions. He was also an accomplished concert violinist. He had supported several organizations, being on the Board of Directors of at least two of them. He had made appearances on several television dramas. He died on December 6, 2000. His body was later cremated and his ashes spread across the ocean. Filmography * The Cabinet of Dr. Ramirez (1991) * The Return of the Beverly Hillbillies (1981) (TV) * Steve Martin: Comedy Is Not Pretty (1980) (TV) * The Rhinemann Exchange (1977) (TV) (mini) * Assignment: Munich (1972) (TV) * Wake Me When The War Is Over (1969) (TV) * The Wicked Dreams of Paula Schultz (1968) * Hogan's Heroes (1965) (TV) * Ship of Fools (1965) * Dark Intruder (1965) * Youngblood Hawke (1964) * Escape from East Berlin (1962) * Judgment at Nuremberg (1961) * Operation Eichmann (1961) * Houseboat (1958) * The Goddess (1958) * The High Cost of Loving (1958) * Kiss Them for Me (1957) * 5 Steps to Danger (1957) * Istanbul (1957) * The Wrong Man (1956) (uncredited) * Death of a Scoundrel (1956) * Flight to Hong Kong (1956) Notable TV Guest Appearances * Biography playing "Himself" in episode: "Bob Crane: Double Life" 8 February 2000 * The Simpsons playing "Colonel Klink" (voice) in episode: "The Last Temptation of Homer" (episode # 5.9) 9 December 1993 * Law & Order playing "William Unger" in episode: "Star Struck" (episode # 2.12) 7 January 1992 * Matt Houston playing "Felix Randolph" in episode: "The Purrfect Crime" (episode # 1.13) 9 January 1983 * Vega$ playing "Siegfried Klaus" in episode: "Heist" (episode # 3.13) 25 February 1981 * The Love Boat playing "Mr. Perkins" in episode: "The Oldies But Goodies/Grass Is Always Greener, The/Stages of Love" (episode # 3.3) 22 September 1979 * McMillan and Wife playing "Van Doren" in episode: "All Bets Off" (episode # 6.1) 5 December 1976 * McMillan and Wife playing "Dr. Ernest Bleeker" in episode: "The Devil, You Say" (episode # 3.2) 23 October 1973 * Love, American Style in episode: "Love and the Unbearable Fiance" (episode # 4.2d) 22 September 1972 * The Doris Day Show playing "Jacques Moreau" in episode: "Gowns by Louis" (episode # 4.23) 28 February 1972 * Night Gallery playing "Ludwig Asper" in episode: "The Funeral" (episode # 2.44) 5 January 1972 * The Leslie Uggams Show playing "Himself" 12 October 1969 * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In playing "Himself" (episode # 2.26) 31 March 1969 * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In playing "Himself" (episode # 2.24) 17 March 1969 * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In playing "Himself" (episode # 2.23) 10 March 1969 * Rowan & Martin's Laugh-In playing "Colonel Wilhelm Klink" (episode # 2.6) 21 October 1968 * Batman playing "Colonel Klink" (uncredited) in episode: "It's How You Play the Game" (episode # 2.26) 1 December 1966 * Lost in Space playing "Bolix" in episode: "All That Glitters" (episode # 1.26) 6 April 1966 * The Hollywood Palace playing "Himself - Singer" (episode # 3.13) 25 December 1965 * Bob Hope Presents the Chrysler Theatre playing "Colonel Wertha" in episode: "Escape into Jeopardy" (episode # 2.23) 28 May 1965 * Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea playing "Brainwasher" (uncredited) in episode: "The Saboteur" (episode # 1.24) 22 February 1965 * Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea playing "Cregar" in episode: "The Blizzard Makers" (episode # 1.13) 7 December 1964 * ''The Man from U.N.C.L.E. playing "Diplomat" in episode: "The Project Strigas Affair" (episode # 1.9) 24 November 1964 * Perry Mason playing "Hurt" in episode: "The Case of a Place Called Midnight" (episode # 8.8) 12 November 1964 * Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea playing "Dr. Gamma" in episode: "Eleven Days to Zero" (episode # 1.1) 14 September 1964 * The Dakotas playing "Colonel von Bleist" in episode: "Trial at Grand Forks" (episode # 1.12) 25 March 1963 * 77 Sunset Strip playing "Schtiekel" in episode: "Escape to Freedom" (episode # 5.20) 22 February 1963 * Perry Mason playing "Ulric Zenas" in episode: "The Case of the Two-Faced Turn-a-bout" (episode # 6.18) 14 February 1963 * The Lloyd Bridges Show in episode: "The Wonder of Wanda" (episode # 1.17) 8 January 1963 * G.E. True in episode: "Man with a Suitcase" (episode # 1.8) 18 November 1962 * Checkmate playing "Franz Leder" in episode: "An Assassin Arrives, Andante" (episode # 2.19) 21 February 1962 * Have Gun — Will Travel playing "Leander Johnson" in episode: "The Uneasy Grave" (episode # 4.37) 3 June 1961 * The Islanders playing "Michel Serati" in episode: "The Pearls of Ratu" (episode # 1.22) 19 March 1961 * King of Diamonds playing "Ubinov" in episode: "Edge of Panic" (episode # 1.11) 1961 * The Case of the Dangerous Robin in episode: "Zippered Notebook" (episode # 1.10) 20 December 1960 * Thriller playing "Mr. Clark" in episode: "Man in the Middle" (episode # 1.14) 20 December 1960 * The Untouchables playing "January Tornek" in episode: "The Purple Gang" (episode # 2.7) 1 December 1960 * Men Into Space playing "Major Kralenko" in episode: "Flare Up" (episode # 1.34) 17 August 1960 * Rawhide playing "Kessle" in episode: "Incident of the Music Maker" (episode # 2.28) 20 May 1960 * Alcoa Theatre playing "Colonel Hanning" in episode: "The Observer" (episode # 3.15) 18 April 1960 * Overland Trail playing "Arnold Braun" in episode: "Vigilantes of Montana" (episode # 1.9) 3 April 1960 * The Alaskans playing "Baron" in episode: "Gold Fever" (episode # 1.15) 17 January 1960 * Have Gun — Will Travel playing "Etienne Ledoux" in episode: "Fragile" (episode # 3.7) 31 October 1959 * Alfred Hitchcock Presents playing "Mr. Ranks" in episode: "The Crystal Trench" (episode # 5.2) 4 October 1959 * How to Marry a Millionaire in episode: "Gwen's Secret" 2 July 1959 * Alcoa Presents: One Step Beyond playing "Herr Bautmann" in episode: "The Haunted U-Boat" (episode # 1.17) 12 May 1959 * Playhouse 90 playing "Emil Hahn" in episode: "Judgment at Nuremberg" (episode # 3.28) 16 April 1959 * The Third Man playing "Donner" in episode: "The Third Medaillon" (episode # 1.11) 20 March 1959 * Steve Canyon playing "Linz" in episode: "Iron Curtain" (episode # 1.23) 5 March 1959 * Behind Closed Doors in episode: "Crypto 40" (episode # 1.16) 29 January 1959 * Playhouse 90 playing "Jesse Eastland" in episode: "The Dungeon" (episode # 2.30) 17 April 1958 * Perry Mason playing "Stefan Riker" in episode: "The Case of the Desperate Daughter" (episode # 1.27) 22 March 1958 * Gunsmoke playing "Clifton Bunker" in episode: "Sunday Supplement" (episode # 3.22) 8 February 1958 * The Thin Man in episode: "The Pre-Incan Caper" (episode # 1.20) 7 February 1958 * Studio One playing "Dorfmann" in episode: "Balance of Terror" (episode # 10.17) 27 January 1958 * How to Marry a Millionaire in episode: "For the Love of Art" (episode # 1.16) 1958 * Maverick playing "Alex Jennings" in episode: "Comstock Conspiracy" (episode # 1.14) 29 December 1957 * Playhouse 90 playing "Boris" in episode: "For I Have Loved Strangers" (episode # 2.15) 19 December 1957 * M Squad playing "Heinrich Ronn" in episode: "Face of Evil" (episode # 1.5) 18 October 1957 * General Electric Theater playing "Muller" in episode: "The Questioning Note" (episode # 6.1) 6 October 1957 * Navy Log playing "Ludwig" in episode: "After You, Ludwig" (episode # 2.23) 20 March 1957 * Crusader playing "Wilhelm Leichner" in episode: "The Bargain" (episode # 1.6) 11 November 1956 * Alfred Hitchcock Presents playing "Professor/Secret Police Captain" in episode: "Safe Conduct" (episode # 1.21) 19 February 1956 * Climax! in episode: "A Man of Taste" (episode # 2.12) 1 December 1955 * Studio 57 playing "Dubrov" in episode: "Win a Cigar" (episode # 2.5) 15 October 1955 * Climax! in episode: "The Escape of Mendes-France" (episode # 1.32) 14 July 1955 * The New Adventures of China Smith playing "Marouf" in episode: "A Bandit of Malaya" 1954 * The Secret Files of Captain Video playing "Foreign scientist allied with Captain Video" in episode: "The Box" 5 September 1953 * The Philco Television Playhouse in episode: "The Reluctant Citizen" (episode # 5.13) 8 February 1953 * Goodyear Television Playhouse in episode: "Holiday Song" (episode # 2.1) 14 September 1952 * Goodyear Television Playhouse in episode: "Flight to Freedom" (episode # 1.3) 11 November 1951 External links * Wikipedia Biography * Werner Klemperer's Web Page * Hogan's Heroes Fanclub * Webstalag 13 * The Hofbrau * Transcript of interview * Werner Klemperer at the Internet Movie Database Klemperer, WernerKlemperer, WernerKlemperer, WernerKlemperer, WernerKlemperer, Werner